That’s right, I’m calling myself out. I’m that single friend surrounded by a sea of couples. I’ve been single for several years now, but I’m not looking for an audible sigh of pity from my readers. The truth is, being single has really been my own choice. Sure, I’ve dated here and there and hoped for a relationship to blossom from the thicket of the dating apps on my phone, but being single really has been one of the most beneficial times in my life. Whether you’re always the single friend of your group, or maybe you are newly single and trying to navigate this new chapter in your life, here are 5 reasons why being single can be a great thing:
1. You Can Prioritize Your Life
Life gets busy, it’s as simple as that. I’m not saying there’s some magically perfect time when adding a person to your life works out seamlessly, but we are usually good at determining how much we can handle. If you find yourself with a lot of responsibilities and have just enough time to fit in a relaxing shower or read a chapter of a book before bed, then you may find that committing to a relationship isn’t something you can prioritize at the moment.
2. You See Things From a Different Perspective
You may find that your friends who are in relationships reach out to you for advice. This is a great responsibility and the good thing is, if you are single, you will likely see things from a different perspective. Rather than comparing their relationship to your own, you can look at all sides of the situation and help provide clear and subjective advice. This also gives you an idea of how you may handle similar situations when you do enter into a relationship.
3. You Can Plan Your Future Without Hesitation
When in a relationship, so much of your decisions depend on another person. Transferring to a school that’s out of town or switching career fields are decisions that can be affected by your significant other. Now, we will never have life all figured out, but if you are in the process of working through big life decisions, a relationship can make that process more confusing. When you are single, you can take this time to choose a school or career of your choice without fear that it could cause friction in your relationship.
4. You Can Explore Dating Options
Dating can be tedious, but it can also be a great opportunity to meet new people, make friends, and determine what type of person really compliments your individuality. You may have a clear idea of the type of partner you want, but once you start dating that opinion can change drastically. Whether opposites attract or similarities align, that all depends on your connection with someone, which you can only find through being open-minded when dating. You may be surprised to find that you are attracted to someone that you would not have considered before.
5. You Can Take Time for Yourself
It may sound lonely, but it can be very refreshing to wake up, go about your day, and go back to bed at night without having another person to keep up with. You can watch that chick-flick with your best friends (Unironically, I recommend How To Be Single for times like this), you can listen to whatever kind of music you like in the car, and when the dessert plate comes, you don’t have to share. Just let yourself relax without feeling obligated to connect with someone day by day. Introverts and extroverts, alike, need a little “me time” every now and then.
Bonus Tip: You can do most of these things even when you are in a relationship! You can follow your ambitions, take some time for yourself, and maintain healthy friendships, all while being in a committed relationship; but being single gives you a great opportunity to navigate all of these things, and much more, through a lens that is unfiltered. And one day, when you do find yourself in a relationship, you can look back on your single life as a gift, rather than a stage to merely survive until you find your person.